James van Riemsdyk of the Maple Leafs and Luke Schenn of the Philadelphia Flyers, who were traded for each other during the off-season, collide Monday at the Air Canada Centre. In the third period, JVR used his speed to blast by Schenn to score a goal. (CRAIG ROBERTSON/QMI Agency)

When James van Riemsdyk got a step on Luke Schenn early in the third period on Monday, there wasn’t a person inside the Air Canada Centre that figured the former Leafs defenceman was going to make up the distance.

Not those in the stands. Not those on either bench. And certainly not James van Riemsdyk, who wasn’t going to waste this delicious opportunity.

Think about it. You just left the guy you were traded for, Schenn, in your fumes. Now, as you are cutting in on goalie Brian Boucher, you have a chance to stick it to your former Philadelphia Flyers team right where it hurts the most.

In the back of their net.

Sure enough, van Riemsdyk did exactly that, jamming the insurance marker right through the heart of his former club for Toronto’s final goal in an impressive 5-2 victory.